hardly agree

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hardly agree" is not correct in standard English usage.
The correct expression is "hardly" used to indicate a strong disagreement or minimal agreement. Example: "I can hardly agree with your assessment of the situation."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

Practitioners hardly agree.

The New York Times

Dan Hardy might be accused of dreaming too big, but he would hardly agree.

The Guardian - Sport

Although Mr. Larkin and Mr. Lacey hardly agree, they are taking their own version of a principled stand.

The New York Times

To be sure, Trump would hardly agree with a great deal of what Sanders and Warren say.

The Washington Post

And if you can't agree on the facts, you can hardly agree on what to do in the face of the facts.

The New York Times

They could hardly agree to be bought by each other.A bigger role for private equity might make the economy more vulnerable.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

And no one hardly agrees on anything in pop anymore.

The New York Times

Over the years, I've hardly agreed with him on anything, but in this case we are on the same page.

The New Yorker

The main problem of the thermal model is that a high fullerene temperature (mostly > 300 K) is required, and hardly agrees with those implicated by dust thermal emission.

Earth, Planets and Space

The commissioners "hardly agreed on anything", in Beadle's recollection.

Wikipedia

In response to item 18, asking students whether they preferred the automated testing station to an IL test, 55%% of the students either strongly or certainly agreed, 25%% agreed, 15%% somewhat agreed, and 5%% hardly agreed.

BMC Medical Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for formal or precise communication, consider using "can hardly agree" or "barely agree" instead of "hardly agree" for better grammatical clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "hardly" directly before "agree" without an auxiliary verb like "can". While understandable in informal contexts, this construction is considered grammatically incorrect. Make sure to include the helping verb to improve correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly agree", while frequently encountered, functions as an expression of weak agreement or near disagreement. Ludwig AI indicates that it is often considered grammatically incorrect in its bare form.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While "hardly agree" is frequently used, Ludwig AI flags its standalone usage as grammatically questionable. It serves to convey a weak sense of agreement or near disagreement, often appearing in news and media. For formal contexts, it's advisable to opt for grammatically precise alternatives like "can hardly agree" or ""barely agree"". Remember to consider context and desired level of formality to ensure effective communication. It is interesting to note how the linguistic analysis reveals how a phrase that can be considered ungrammatical can still be used for effective communication across many media.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

scarcely agree

Emphasizes the minimal level of agreement.

barely agree

Indicates agreement is present but to a very small extent.

can hardly agree

Adding 'can' provides a more grammatically correct structure.

slightly agree

Indicates a small amount of agreement.

somewhat agree

Expresses a partial agreement.

marginally agree

Agreement only to a small degree or extent.

minimally agree

Denotes agreement is only at the lowest level.

hardly concur

Replaces 'agree' with 'concur' for a more formal tone, maintaining the sense of minimal agreement.

don't really agree

More conversational way of expressing lack of agreement.

not entirely agree

Acknowledges some agreement, but indicates reservations.

FAQs

How can I use "hardly agree" in a sentence correctly?

While "hardly agree" by itself is not considered standard English, you can correct it by adding an auxiliary verb. For example, "I "can hardly agree" with that statement" is grammatically sound.

What phrases can I use instead of "hardly agree"?

Alternatives include "barely agree", "scarcely agree", or "slightly agree", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "hardly agree"?

No, it is not considered grammatically correct in formal English. It's better to say "can hardly agree" or "barely agree".

What's the difference between "hardly agree" and "slightly agree"?

"Hardly agree" (when corrected to "can hardly agree") implies a very strong disagreement, close to not agreeing at all. "Slightly agree", on the other hand, means there is some level of agreement, though not complete.